Pawtucket’s PeaceLove: Changing the Face of Mental Illness

Friday, December 03, 2010

GoLocalProv Lifestyle Editor Andrea E. McHugh

PeaceLove, a Pawtucket-based foundation dedicated to “providing individuals with creative, motivational, and interactive programs designed to help achieve peace of mind,” has been garnering nationwide attention–and changing lives–since launching earlier this year. Founded by Jeffrey M. Sparr, a Rhode Island native, entrepreneur, artist, husband and father, has suffered much of his life with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While receiving treatment for the illlness, Sparr turned to his more artistic side to help him cope, where he learned the therapeutic effects of artistic expression through painting and thus inspiring him to form a foundation where others facing mental illness issues could benefit.

“A lot of things I dreamed of years ago are becoming a reality,” said Sparr. “Finding my own peace of mind through painting has changed my life and helped me not only cope, but thrive, despite this debilitating disease.” PeaceLove’s non-profit arm offers creative, motivational and interactive programs designed to help achieve peace of mind, while the business arm focuses on product development where, through the sale of merchandise and art, PeaceLove donates 10% of profits to support like-minded organizations that work to provide individuals coping with mental illness access to resources, opportunities, and hope.

Making Strides

Through free workshops at schools, hospitals and community centers, people coping with mental illness and people simply looking for peace of mind are offered art programs and experiences. The Pawtucket studios also double as a gallery, displaying a large and diverse collection of work from local and international artists, plus it hosts the organization’s Paint4Peace workshop, with 50% of sales going directly to the artist.

Sparr points out that other causes and their foundations have a proverbial symbol that carry a message; LiveStrong and its yellow ribbon merchandise, breast cancer with the pink ribbon and subsequent campaign, the (Red) campaign benefiting the Global Fund which invests in HIV and AIDS programs in Africa, are just a few. “But there’s nothing for 26% of the population that includes myself,” he said, referring to the mental health community. Sparr is touting companies like Nike, Hallmark and Rhode Island-based CVS and Hasbro, among others, to support a PeaceLove lifebrand, a commercially viable symbol that can translate into a product which includes everything from apparel to art kits for children. Piece by piece, Sparr and PeaceLove are chipping away at the stigma of mental illness. “We’re talking about something that affects tens of millions of people, and it’s invisible and misunderstood,” said Sparr. “We’re in sight of the last horizon of tearing down the stigma,” he said. “I can be done, it’s being done, and I see examples everyday.”

Pictured: Philip Stein Watches has chosen PeaceLove as their inaugural partner in their national “Time for a Cause” charity campaign and product line, launching in 2011. Proceeds from each watch provide art programs for 10 PeaceLove clients. Available at www.peacelovestudios.com/store